When I thought of Guinness prior to exploring their new Nitro IPA, I always thought of it as a members only kind of drink. Whether you’re a beer aficionado or not, you can take one sip of a Guinness and know that there isn’t going to be be any other type of beer that you’ll enjoy like this one. The head is thick and creamy. It tastes of old family secrets. There is no alternative to Guinness. There is just Guinness. So needless to say, when I thought about how they would turn that into an IPA, I was curious, and I had to taste it for myself.

Guinness, established in 1759, has introduced their new Guinness™ Nitro IPA , a hop forward India Pale Ale with the familiar features of a classic Guinness that we all know and love — that creamy mouthfeel and a thick head. This is a beer you can practically taste by its smell, as the beer provides aromatics of tangy citrus peel over gentle pine notes. And for an IPA, this brew offers only a slight hop profile with its subtle bitterness that dissipates quickly from the palate. If you’re looking for hops being slammed in your face, this isn’t that beer. Think balance. You’ll take a sip and as you lower your glass, you’ll think … well played, while slightly nodding your head.

Photo Provided By: Guinness

This beer is available draught (in select U.S. bars) or in a can, so no glass bottles here. The cans are actually pretty cool with their nitro infused widget (although I will always pick draught, if available). When you crack open the can, gases are released from the widget, providing a pleasant bitter finish, and a cool sound. (The widget inside the can made me think of Cracker Jacks, but for adults.) Inside your can of beer there is a toy for you! OK, It’s not a toy, but feel free to cut open the can and see what’s in there … I did.This widget technology has been perfected by Guinness since the 1950s, and by bringing nitrogenation to an IPA, Guinness is putting their stamp of balanced flavor and aroma to a hop infused Pale Ale. But FYI, don’t drink it from the can. It’s a very aromatic beer so you’ll want to drink it from a glass. This beer actually offers five different types of hops in the recipe; Admiral, Topaz, Celeia, Challenger and Cascade. You’d think it would have an overwhelming aroma and taste with all of those different styles of hops, but they actually balance one another out, offering an ultra smooth finish. Overall, this beer was very approachable while it’s complexities will have you intrigued.

Photo Provided By: Guinness

Luis Ortega, the brewer of this beer, explains to us the complexities and differences of IPAs, “IPAs are complex and hoppy, but for some beer drinkers the bitterness can be too much. We aimed to make a balanced, smooth beer. Guinness perfected nitrogenated beer more than 60 years ago, so we believed we could really add something new to the style. There's plenty of hoppy flavor, with citrus aroma to the fore, but the nitrogen rounds it all out. The mouthfeel is fantastic, and the use of Guinness yeast gives it an echo of the character of our famous stouts.”

Photo Provided By: Guinness

Guinness™ Nitro IPA was created by a small group of Guinness brewers called, The Brewers Project, who are given the opportunity to have fun exploring and researching the beer world and coming back and creating new beers out of Dublin at St. James’s Gate Bewhouse No. 4. With 256 years of brewing history to back them, you can expect perfection in their brewing.

The beer has an ABV of 5.8% and 44 IBUs.Whether enjoying a new Guinness™ Nitro IPA, or any Guinness beer, please drink responsibly.